How I'll vote this November

Recently, at the nationally known Saddleback Christian Church in California, presidential candidates U.S. Senators Barack Obama and John McCain answered several questions posed by Pastor Rick Warren. Warren is the bestselling author of The Purpose Driven Life. He has transformed the spiritual lives of millions of Americans in recent years. Sen. Obama was asked the question: When do human rights begin for the unborn child? He gave the most idiotic response I have ever heard from a supposedly serious-minded candidate for U.S. President. His response? Here goesthe answer to this most important moral, philosophical, and political question of the age, the senator said, was above my pay grade. Actually, hes right about his pay grade; such a deep and vital question is indeed far above his pay gradefar above any hoped for pay he might earn in the White House. (And while he may have declined to provide an answer to Warrens question, in fact, his Illinois and Washington voting records have already answered the question. Sen. Obama isregardless of all his clever hemming and hawing and nuancingpro abortion and pro infanticide.) In reality, for me as a person of faith, God determines when life begins (I refer you to Psalm 139). I would expect someone at Sen. Obamas educational level and apparent intelligence to have a clear response to such a vital question, such a lightning-rod national issue. The senator has said that he believes late-term abortions are ok, with restrictions, of courseas if restrictions make his response any more moral from the Judeo-Christian perspective. So this man wants to be president? This is the same man who said that we should just inflate our automobile tires so that we dont have to drill for more domestic oil and gas in Alaska to help us achieve energy independence... Sen. Obamas abortion response came just in time for me. I have been pondering a letter-to-the-editor which would explain my foremost reason for not voting for Sen. Obama. I have noticed that many Christians have climbed aboard the Obama train; I am frankly baffled and disturbed by this. Why? Besides the fact that Sen. Obama is, at heart, a socialist, wants to tax the living daylights out of us, and wants to put the government in charge of our health care, he is also blatantly pro-choice. To me, this election is a no-brainierI would not vote for a candidate who is in favor of killing innocent babies. I would expect my Christian brothers and sisters to follow suit. But, I guess they dont see this as an important issue. Why does it matter that I not vote for a pro-choice politician? Why do I feel so strongly about this? Let me explain. We live in a democratic nationa representative republic. We each have one vote. We vote for someone to represent our convictions and beliefs. So, if we vote for someone who believes it is permissible to abort babies (regardless of their stage in human development) then we are essentially complicit in the killing of innocent children. That is the cold, stark reality of my conviction. So, that is why I am not voting for Barack Obama. It is as simple as that. Angela Marton